Shiv Sena to hold internal organisational election tomorrow

Mumbai: The Shiv Sena will hold internal polls to elect its party president and other functionaries in Mumbai on Tuesday, which happens to be the birth anniversary of its founder Bal Thackeray.

Sena president Uddhav Thackeray is set to be re-elected as there is no other nomination for the post, party sources said.

Elections will be held at NSCI in Worli on Tuesday for the posts of members of the national executive committee and deputy leaders who will be elected from among 180 members of the national executive.

A meeting of senior Sena leaders was held at Thackeray's 'Matoshree' bungalow in suburban Bandra on Monday to discuss the internal polls.

Former chief minister Manohar Joshi, industries minister Subhash Desai and MP Sanjay Raut were among those present at the meeting.

The election is being held to comply with the Election Commission's directives to political parties to hold internal organisational elections, a Sena leader said.

Asked if Yuva Sena chief Aaditya Thackeray, son of Uddhav Thackeray, would be elevated in the party hierarchy, Raut declined to comment.

Aaditya is viewed as Uddhav's political heir and has led various student agitations at Mumbai University. There is speculation that he will be given more responsibility and will play a bigger role in the organisation.

Uddhav, 57, became the Sena president five years ago on January 23, 2013.

The Sena shares an uneasy alliance with the BJP in the state and has been vocal in opposing some of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's policies.